American League: Red Sox Forever; Tigers, White Sox May Challenge

It is always somewhat distressing, as the opening of the baseball season rolls around, to see writers all over the country scurry to their typewriters and proudly name the New York Yankees as their carefully considered choice to win the American League pennant. Such action on the part of loyal New York sports-writers is, of course, understandable, but to have this prediction spread to every corner of the United States is quite another matter.

Even more depressing, as I glance through the shredded pages of my Sporting News, is the fact that the consensus of the country's best sporting minds can put the Red Sox--the Boston Red Sox--no better than fourth place. Surely this must be some sort of joke, and in bad taste at that. For years the best team in the American League--held back by a lamentable string of misfortunes, the Red Sox appear ready at last to move to the top.

The facts, ignored by one and all (including the low and callous Boston sports scribes), speak for themselves. Boston has the best left-fielder and batsman in baseball, Ted Williams, the best rightfielder in baseball, Jackie Jensen, the best third baseman in baseball, Frank Malzone, the finest clutch performer and general handyman in the league, Pete Runnels, plus a large number of reliable sidemen.

At shortstop and catcher, Don Buddin and Sammy White should come around after off-years in 1958 to give the Sox strength at these positions, and the addition of Vic Wertz at first will complete a dangerous infield lineup. In the remaining outfield position between Williams and Jensen, manager Mike Higgins will have the pleasant task of choosing between Gary Geiger, whose spring record was outstanding, Gene Stephens, who needs only a regular job to prove himself one of the most capable outfielders in the league, and another promising younger player, Marty Keough.

But most important of all, the Red Sox pitching will be much improved over last year. Tom Brewer should win 20 games, big Frank Sullivan might also approach that total, and strong work should be expected from the surprise of the '58 season, Ike Delock. Frank Bauman, long a disappointment to Boston fans, has shown considerable improvement this Spring, and he might well develop into the Sox' first left-hander since Mel Parnell's departure. Couple these four with such promising players is Bill Monbouquette, Ted Bowsfield, Dave Sisler, and Herb Moford and you have a staff which should go all the way.

Right behind the Sox in promise come the Detroit Tigers. Detroit has a large flock of excellent players, but in the past they have not all been able to have good years simultaneously. However, players like Harvey Kuenn, Al Kaline, Frank Bolling, Frank Lary, Jim Bunning, Paul Foytack, Billy Hoeft, Ray Narleski and Don Mossi will be hard to keep down forever. The Tiger's big weakness is revealed immediately by the above listing: the infield.

As things stand now, Gail Harris at first base, aging Eddie Yost--for years a more prominent fixture in Washington than Sam Rayburn--at third, and tobacco chewing Rocky Bridges at short do not look very promising, and this deficiency will keep the Tigers off the top, unless the big guns deliver well beyond expectations.

Behind the Tigers, come the Chicago White Sox with pitching and not too much else. With Billy Pierce, Early Wynn and Dick Donovan, the Chisox have a strong big three, but their only real batting strength comes from catcher Sherm Lollar and Jim Landis. Nellie Fox is always a dependable singles hitter, and Luis Aparicio is one of the classic players in the good-field no-hit school, combining with Fox for an excellent double-play pair.

In the outfield manager Al Lopez must count on Al Smith and a few promising rookies, while at first and third old Ray Boone and workman Billy Goodman will probably start. Unless the mound staff is positively brilliant, the White Sox will not quite make it.

Below this, the American League starts to get pretty rocky. 1959 could be the big year for Cleveland to make its dying fall into the second division. There is a strong possibility that the Indians' pitching staff, long the envy of the majors, will fold completely. Herb Score has never been the same since Gil McDougald bounced a line drive off his eyeball, and paunchy Mike Garcia is about through. Other mound hopefuls Gary Bell, Mudcat Grant and Cal McLish will not inspire much fear in the opposition.

The Indians' infield consists of Vic Power, but in the outfield, perhaps Cleveland's strongest spot, Minoso, Piersall and Colavito provide the main first-division hope.

Baltimore falls in the same questionable category with Cleveland. The Orioles have a pretty fair assortment of pitchers and the league's best catcher in Gus Triandos, but then things tail off rapidly, though first-baseman Bob Boyd is definitely a strong infielder. At this point one's eye inevitably falls on the likes of Willie Miranda of the porous bat, Brooks Robinson of the unrealized potential and Bobby Avila of the better days: the Orioles will not make it out of the second division.

Washington (Roy Seivers) and Kansas City (Bob Cerv) are also in the American League and their battle for last place should prove entertaining, with the Senators having the weight of tradition on their side.

Near the top of the list there are several teams with considerable potential, but from here it looks like the Red Sox will pull it out. Many fans and sportwriters throughout the country have cast grave doubts on this eventuality, but for the past twelve years the CRIMSON has picked Boston and will not be swayed now by the flimsy appeal of public opinion. At a time when all around us values are being shaken and loyalties broken and betrayed, the CRIMSON stands firm and casts a dissenting vote for the Red Sox.